Monday, August 18, 2008

ELECTION 2008: Recalibrating expections!

Disappointment comes from unfulfilled expectations; especially where expectations are unrealistic or imagined!

I am as guilty as many others, who have expected a reconstituted Bob Dole to lose handily to a beaming, resurrected suntanned JFK!

However, in a column published today (8/18/08) American Spectator's Philip Klein writes ...
... if this weekend's forum hosted by Pastor Rick Warren at his Saddleback Church [video] is any indication of how the two candidates will perform in the presidential debates, it's time to recalibrate the existing expectations.
I'm willing to listen and observe for the time being but I have my reservations about both candidates, especially Obama. Their mediocre images seem to me to reflect what appears to be a decline in stature for the USA.
Obama showed humility [...] and invoked Matthew in discussing America's obligation to address poverty, racism, and sexism. This was classic Obama -- trying to frame his liberal views of economic and social justice in religious language.

But within a few minutes of McCain taking the stage, it became clear that it was his night. While McCain is typically uncomfortable talking about his faith, he played to his strengths by discussing his powerful life story, showing his stature and experience, and flashing his sense of humor. He connected to the audience emotionally while Obama was academic and -- dare I say it -- boring by comparison.
Considering the resurgence of a Soviet threat to the world, I am looking for an international leader, not a nambypamby follower or a capitulating fool ... excuse me I meant tool.
Aside from substance, McCain's style couldn't have been more different. While Obama gave long-winded and meandering answers [...], McCain's were short and to the point -- so much so that he was left with extra time for additional questions.
One of my criticisms of John McCain has been his clouded stand of the sanctity of life ...
Most importantly, McCain managed to meet the most important challenge of his campaign by coming off as independent and yet conservative -- on taxes, judges, and abortion (where he stated in clear terms that he believed that babies are entitled to human rights at the moment of conception).
Klein's comment above certainly goes a long way to aiding me with that expectation.

No comments:

Post a Comment